Nitrite(no2)

[bennyplevin]

hi, had tropical tank 4 about 4 weeks (60ltrs) at first nitrite levels were low 0.3 but over past week or so have gone up to 1.6 and above ph:7.5/8.5 gh:12/13 kh:7/9 added some plants as i was told this would bring levels down, i have 2 barbs 2 angel fish 4 zebra dans all seem very active but high levels cannot be good, is there anything i can buy to bring levels down? thanks

 

[Corleone]

Did you cycle the tank before adding fish? If not, you're in the middle of a fish-in cycle, and your only option will be frequent and large water changes (likely 30% daily or more) to keep ammonia and nitrite low until the biofilter is fully established. Otherwise, your fish are unlikely to survive. As it is, I'm not sure how well angels will do in a fish-in cycle even with sufficient water changes, though it should be possible to get your barbs and danios through if you make sure the nitrite and ammonia stay very low.

Are you testing your ammonia levels, also? Your fish produce ammonia. Your biofilter turns that first into nitrIte, and then that into nitrAte. An established tank will reliably test 0 for ammonia and nitrite, though nitrate will still be produced, and is usually removed through weekly water changes.

Also, if my conversions are right (American, sorry, I fail at metric), 60l is about 15 gallons, which the angels will far outgrow eventually.

 

[iankent]

Did you cycle the tank before adding fish? If not, you're in the middle of a fish-in cycle, and your only option will be frequent and large water changes (likely 30% daily or more) to keep ammonia and nitrite low until the biofilter is fully established. Otherwise, your fish are unlikely to survive. As it is, I'm not sure how well angels will do in a fish-in cycle even with sufficient water changes, though it should be possible to get your barbs and danios through if you make sure the nitrite and ammonia stay very low.

if your nitrite is measuring at 1.6ppm, you would need to do approx a 90% water change to bring it down to 0.15ppm (that would raise again slightly as there's probably nitrite in the filter media too) - what filter do you have?

edit:

 

[bennyplevin]

yes did cycle before hand (48hrs) and all seemed fine, but unsure of ammonia levels as the test kit did not supply this test, only thought i had to test what was in the kit thanks.

 

[kj23502]

You want to do water changes that are large enough to bring down the levels of ammonia and nitrite. Even 90% water changes are good as long as the water going in is about the same temp as the water in the tank. Make sure to declorinate the water too! If your putting the water in jugs and dumping it in mix the declorinator as you make a jug. If your using a water filling/emptying system (ie. a python) and it's going in straight from the tap add declorinator once or twice in the appropriate amount that your filling.

Get an API freshwater LIQUID master test kit. That's what you really need. It measures ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.

Oh yea...and plants won't save your fish from the levels. It's ideal to do enough water changes to keep the levels around .25ppm or below. It's ok to change water every couple hours if you need to.

Um...I'm assuming you don't know this and if you do sorry. If you have any ?s , please ask.

 

[bennyplevin]

Did you cycle the tank before adding fish? If not, you're in the middle of a fish-in cycle, and your only option will be frequent and large water changes (likely 30% daily or more) to keep ammonia and nitrite low until the biofilter is fully established. Otherwise, your fish are unlikely to survive. As it is, I'm not sure how well angels will do in a fish-in cycle even with sufficient water changes, though it should be possible to get your barbs and danios through if you make sure the nitrite and ammonia stay very low.

if your nitrite is measuring at 1.6ppm, you would need to do approx a 90% water change to bring it down to 0.15ppm (that would raise again slightly as there's probably nitrite in the filter media too) - what filter do you have?

edit:

hi i have an elite filter that come with the tank, i brought the whole set up ( new) on my test card it says levels should be @ >0.3 mg/l thanks

 

[kj23502]

yes did cycle before hand (48hrs) and all seemed fine, but unsure of ammonia levels as the test kit did not supply this test, only thought i had to test what was in the kit thanks.

48 hours doesn't establish the biological filter needed to sustain the tank. The bacteria that "cleans" the water by converting ammonia to nitrite, and nitrite to nitrate is grown a months or so time period. Chances are the ammonia levels right now are over the top and your current fish may not survive. Bad for the fish, but a good learning experience for you and it's a good thing you're asking. Get the test kit and do as big a water changes as your tank requires to lower the levels. Water changes is the only thing that may give your fish a chance, other than returning them to the fish store and do a fishless cycle in your tank. The damage may have already been done to the fish, I'm afraid.

 

[Mikaila31]

Your tank appears to be uncycled, unless you added mature media to the filter. Your average fishless cycle takes 4-6 weeks, without doing this you won't have the nessicary bacteria in your filter. This bacteria is referred to as "good bacteria" it removes the toxics that your fish produce, like ammonia. Without the bacteria the toxics stay in the water and will quickly reach deadly levels in a aquarium. The bacteria works buy converting the ammonia the fish produce to nitrite, then turning it to nitrate. Since you are getting nitrite readings it means your tank is halfway cycled. During a cycle with fish ammonia and nitrite both should stay below .25ppm, so you should do 2 large water changes IMO to get it down. I also suggest reading the pinned topics on cycling .